於2014-04-11發佈

大使命13 

正確連結

我們最近一直在談論彼此相交(koinonia)對於真實新約生活非常重要,為了完成大使命帶出門徒,而不單是帶人信主而已。在新約中,每一位初信者的門訓在他們『加給教會』時便開始。要以聖經的方式與神同行,不能不包括與基督肢體連結成為教會的一員。若沒有正確連結與主的身體,我們就不可能正確連結與頭。

在基督裡的門徒訓練需要有教會生活,現在有許多書籍試圖證明不需要成為地方教會的一份子。他們說只要成為『神國度』的一份子即可…等,先不管其理由聽起來多有智慧,但這與新約的見證背道而馳。倘若我們沒有連結於祂的身體,我們也無法連結於頭。祂可能仍會盡可能的祝福我們,我們仍可以向祂學習、被祂使用,但我們將離祂越來越遠。

這可能是何以許多奉祂的名做許多工的人,在審判那日來到祂面前,祂卻告訴他們離開祂,因為祂不『認識』他們(參考馬太福音7:23)。在這節經文『認識』的希臘文並不是祂不認識他們,而是沒有與他們有親密關係般的認識。聖經清楚表示我們若沒有連結於祂的身體─教會,就不可能真實與祂連結。

想當然,教會離原本要成為的樣式還很遠。我問過許多人為何不上教會,多半說:他們的需要沒被滿足,他們沒被餵養,他們受傷或感到失望。成熟的基督徒或真正的門徒不會用那些事來做決定,成熟的基督徒或門徒活著是為了給予而非獲得。倘若他們受傷或失望,他們會喜樂,因為他們得到背起十架與饒恕他人的機會,就像耶穌所做的事,可以在愛中,在忍耐中成長…等。

倘若我們被呼召去到的地方教會,離它應有的樣式還很遠,我們何以得知不是為著我們的出現與投入,來幫助那教會成為被呼召的樣式呢?倘若我們丟棄在基督裡的崗位與任務,我們便離開祂的旨意。我們可能也遺棄祂許多的百姓,在他們最需要我們的時候。

這並沒有忽略一個事實,主確實有時會呼召人們花時間與祂獨處,或差派他們進入新的任務或去到不同的教會。然而,我從來沒有看過祂帶領一個人挫敗的離開一個環境。相反地,祂『總是率領我們在基督裡誇勝』(參考哥林多後書2:14)。我們沒有被呼召一再挫敗,我們乃被呼召勝了又勝,榮上加榮。我們在離開一個地方前應該先得著勝利,好讓我們是帶著勝利離開的。        

以賽亞書五十八章告訴我們,我們若行在光中,主的榮光必作我們的後盾。這意味著我們離開時會有一連串的榮耀在我們後面,而不是一連串的挫敗。我們總要留下建樹,而非拆毀。

在我們後面所留下的痕跡看起來像什麼?

(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week13, 2014)

Properly Joined - The Great Commission, Part 13

Week 13, 2014
Rick Joyner


        We have been covering how having koinonia is essential for the true New Covenant life for fulfilling The Great Commission to make disciples, not merely converts. In the New Testament, every new believer’s discipleship began with being “added to the church.” There simply is no other biblical way to walk with God that does not also include being connected to the body of Christ as a member of His church. We cannot be properly connected to the Head without also being properly connected to His body.

         Church life is required for discipleship in Christ. Books are now being written to try and justify not needing to be part of a local church. They say that one just needs to be a part of the “kingdom,” etc., but that is contrary to the testimony of the New Testament, regardless of how wise the rationale might seem. If we are disconnected from His body, we are also disconnected from the Head. He may still bless us as much as He can, and we can still learn about Him and be used by Him, but we will be drifting further from Him too.

         This may be the primary reason why many will come to Him on that day having done many works in His name, yet He tells them to depart from Him because He never “knew” them (see Matthew 7:23). The Greek word translated “knew” in that text is not implying that He did not know who they were, but that He did not know them in the context of an intimate relationship. The Scriptures are clear that we cannot really be joined to Him without also being joined to His body, the church.

         Granted, the church is far from what it is meant to be. Most people I have talked to about why they quit going to a local church say things like: they were not getting their needs met, were not being fed, got wounded or disappointed. No mature Christian or true disciple would ever base a decision on those kinds of things. A mature Christian or a maturing disciple lives to give not to get. If they are wounded or disappointed, they rejoice that they were given an opportunity to take up their cross and forgive others the way Jesus did, growing in love, patience, etc.

         If the local church we have been called to is far from what it should be, how do we know that it was not our presence and input to that church that would help them get to where they are called to be? If we abandon our post, our assignment in Christ, we are departing from His will. We may be abandoning many of His people when they need us most.

         This does not negate the fact that the Lord does, from time to time, call people to spend time alone with Him or send them on new assignments or to a different local church. However, I have never seen Him lead someone out of a situation in defeat. He “always leads us in His triumph” (see II Corinthians 2:14). We are not called to go from defeat to defeat, but from victory to victory, glory to glory. We should get a victory in one place before leaving it, so that we are leaving it in victory.

         We are told in Isaiah 48 that if we are walking in the light, the glory of the Lord will be our rear guard. This means that we will be leaving a trail of His glory behind us, not a trail of defeats. We should always leave something built, not torn down.

         What does the trail behind us look like?